Milwaukee Brewers: Triple-A Outfield, Rotation Overloaded with Talent

Now on to the outfielders who should be in AAA, but haven’t been officially announced.

• Michael Reed || Age 24 || AAA stats: .731 OPS (640 PA) || Prospect rank: 28

Reed has reached the Majors in each of the last two seasons, but looks destined to begin in AAA again in 2017. Reed is a tweener, as he is not a stellar centerfielder defensively, and he lacks the preferred power of a corner outfielder.

This makes Reed a likely bench player at the Major League level, who specializes in on-base percentage, but he faces serious competition for even that job with the Brewers current crop of outfielders.

Reed has good speed, swiping 105 bags over the last four minor league seasons.

• Kyle Wren || Age 25 || AAA stats: .736 OPS (634 PA) || Prospect rank: N/A

Wren is a lot like Reed, but with a better hit tool, though less power. Between Double- and Triple-A in 2016, Wren slashed .322/.412/.412 with two home runs, but also eight triples.

He’s likely a truer centerfielder than Reed, but with a lesser arm. Like Reed, Wren is quick, and swipes a lot of bags (111 since 2014). Unlike Reed, Wren has the significant advantage of hitting left-handed.

I think Wren has the Big League edge over Reed here, especially coming off of a better year. Still, one or both of them may have to find their Big League footing with a less outfield-heavy organization.

The crowded starting pitching scene – Part I

• Hiram Burgos || Age 29 || AAA stats: 3.98 ERA (319 IP) || Exceeded rookie limits in 2013

Burgos has had an interesting journey with the Milwaukee Brewers. He was the team’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2012. Then Burgos was released just two years later, after struggles and injuries.

He was re-signed the next season, and has been steady– if unremarkable–since. If Burgos sees time with the Brewers in 2017, it’d be his first taste of the Majors in four seasons.

Burgos is one of those players you expect to see with the organization even after his playing days are over. He’s well-liked in the clubhouse, and is a story worth rooting for.

• Paolo Espino || Age 30 || AAA stats: 3.63 ERA (426.2 IP) || Prospect rank: no

Espino signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers back in November. He’s coming off of yet another good year in Triple-A (3.30 ERA in 152 2/3 innings), but still hasn’t pitched in a Major League game.

The journeyman consistently strikes out four times more batters than he walks, K’ing 253 and walking just 59 over his last two seasons. He’s clearly durable, and could serve as a the Brewers swingman if a spot opens up.

• Josh Hader (L) || Age 22 || AAA stats: 3.81 FIP (69 IP) || Prospect rank: 3

Hader is ranked as the top lefty prospect in the country by MLB.com, and it’s well-deserved. He has electric stuff, with a plus fastball and slider, a developing changeup, and deceptive delivery.

The keys to Hader’s future are the keys for many young pitchers: develop the changeup and tighten your command. If Hader does that, he’s a potential star in the Major Leagues.

If he fails to make either of those strides, he still has a great chance to be a dynamic back-end reliever.

• Taylor Jungmann || Age 27 || MLB stats: 4.50 ERA (146 IP) || Exceeded rookie limits in 2015

Jungmann is one of the few guys on this list who might make the Brewers roster out of Spring Training. If he does, it’ll be as a reliever, but his potential AAA role isn’t as clear. He was a solid Major League starter in 2015, but collapsed last season.

He walked 35 batters in 31 innings after a demotion to Triple-A, but pulled himself together in Double-A.

• Jorge Lopez || Age 24 || AAA stats: 6.81 ERA (79.1 IP) || Prospect rank: 13

It might not be worth mentioning Lopez here. He had a heck of a time in Colorado Springs last year, and it probably wouldn’t be wise to bring him back for round two.

He’s still a promising pitcher, but when the high altitude hung up his curveball, he lost control of his pitches, and likely, his confidence.

Look for Lopez to return to AA Biloxi, where he was mostly his usual self (3.81 FIP), until the team feels he’s ready for the leap to Milwaukee. No altitude required.

• Brent Suter (L) || Age 27 || AAA stats: 3.45 ERA (146 IP) || Prospect rank: N/A

For starters, Suter throws an 84 mile-per-hour fastball. That’s pretty rad. He’s another pitcher who might make the Brewers 25-man roster, but I anticipate he returns to Colorado Springs for the start of the season.

He was great in AAA in 2016, posting a 3.50 ERA while striking out basically nobody (6.1 batters per 9 innings) but walking even nobody-er (1.1 per 9). He posted similar numbers in a 21 2/3 inning stint with the Crew, so he should toss Big League innings again in 2017.

• Wei-Chung Wang (L) || Age 24 || AAA stats: 3.94 ERA (32 IP) || Exceeded rookie limits in 2014

Wang would definitely be a top 30 prospect with the Milwaukee Brewers if the team hadn’t stashed him until his rookie limits ran out in 2014.

More from Brewers Prospects

• Brewers Farm System Finally Back into MLB Pipeline’s Top 20
• Brewers: Ranking The Crew’s Top 3 September Call Up Candidates
• Should the Brewers Promote Hot Hitting Prospect Sal Frelick?
• Brewers: Where does 2022 Draft class sit in Pipeline mid-season rankings?
• Milwaukee Brewers: Minor League Affiliate Recap for 8/2 to 8/7

He has long received high marks for his changeup, the ideal pitch for a lefty who wants to remain a starter at the highest level. He also throws a low-90s fastball and a curve.

Despite a slight frame, Wang has exceeded 130 innings pitched in each of the last two seasons. Wang’s 2016 was quietly a big improvement, as he bumped his strikeout rate from 5.9 batters per 9 innings in High-A in 2015 to 7.7 between Double- and Triple-A last year. He maintained his 2.4 walks per 9 innings both years.

Wang likely needs his strikeouts to stick if he’s going to make it as a starter in the Majors, but I think he’s a promising back-of-the-rotation arm.

• Aaron Wilkerson || Age 27 || AAA stats: 4.56 ERA (102.2 IP) || Prospect rank: N/A

Speaking of pitchers who are close to Major League ready. Wilkerson had a productive season in 2016, even if he got bullied by BABIP in the Pacific Coast League. He struck out nearly 10 batters per 9 innings over the course of 147 innings while walking just 2.5.

Milwaukee Brewers: 2017 Under-the-Radar Pitching Prospects

He doesn’t have the best pure stuff, but succeeding at every level of the minor leagues should get him a shot.